Australian Grand Prix
Oct. 03, 1999
250s: Rossi over Ukawa

Aprilia star Valentino Rossi scored one of the greatest victories of his career on Sunday to move 35 points clear of title rival Tohru Ukawa. The Italian sensation's seventh win of '99 came after a breathtaking race-long four-way scrap with Honda rider Ukawa and Yamaha men Olivier Jacque and Shinya Nakano. Four abreast into the track's scary 120 mph first turn, the four riders swapped back and forth, Nakano the only man never to head the pack.

Rossi looked strongest in the middle of the race, with both Jacque and Ukawa stronger in the second half. But Rossi was only boxing clever, dropping behind his rivals to examine their strong points and their weak points. "I could see Jacque and Ukawa were very fast, I just wanted to check their rhythm," said the race winner who jumped back ahead with four laps to go and stayed there, despite a last-gasp Jacque attack.

At the flag the Frenchman was just one tenth down, with Ukawa losing third to Nakano two corners from the finish but managing to out-drag the slower Yamaha over the line. "My bike is faster than the others in fifth and sixth and that's good for me at such a fast track," added Rossi. "To have a 35 point lead with three races to go is great, very important."

Aussie youngster Anthony West rode a great home GP got the crowd cheering with an inspired ride to tenth, battling all the way with experienced Argentine Yamaha rider Sebastian Porto. Pole sitter Jeremy McWilliams threw away his chances of a first GP win when he tumbled out of the lead at speed on lap two. ###

125s: Melandri shows he's not really crazy after all

The 125 World Championship was blown wide open on Sunday when series leader Emilio Alzamora (Honda) was taken out by Noboru Ueda (Honda) in a frantic climax to a thrilling eight-man battle, won by teen sensation Marco Melandri (Honda). Alzamora remounted to get a single point for 15th place while title rival Masao Azuma (Honda) finished fifth, in the midst of the leading pack. With three races to go, Azuma now trails his Spanish rival by just 13 points, with Melandri creeping up in third, a further 13 points adrift.

"A lot of the other riders say I'm crazy, I think this shows it's not me who's mad," said Alzamora, in tears after losing much of his points lead. "Ueda crashed inside me and took me out. But I still think I can win the championship."

At the checker Melandri beat compatriot Lucio Cecchinello (Givi Honda LCR) by just 0.035, with Youichi Ui a further 0.144s down, scoring the new Derbi's first-ever podium finish despite a scary moment when he was almost highsided at turn two. Just six tenths of a second covered the first six men home.

"Halfway through the race I looked over my shoulder and saw many, many riders behind me," said Melandri. "Then when I saw Alzamora and Ueda crash I knew I must win the race because now I also have a big chance at the championship."

Azuma lost valuable points on the last lap when Valencia winner Gianluigi Scalvini (Aprilia) moved up to fourth but it was nevertheless a great day for the Japanese who had suffered a disastrous run of bad luck over the previous four GPs.

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